Kevin Simler
Person on 4 sites
Writer and engineer behind the blog Melting Asphalt; co-author with Robin Hanson of The Elephant in the Brain.
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4 facts on wiqqi (opens wiqqi.app)
Who people, organisations and podcasts are, and how they connect, with sources.
Updated 2026-10-31 -
2 channels on ppll (opens ppll.app)
Where public figures publish, and what they are on record saying.
Updated 2026-05-30 -
15 beliefs on korrents (opens korrents.com)
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Much of what makes humans distinctive, including their sense of beauty, comes from a drive for prestige. (opens korrents.com)
“And increasingly I'm convinced that much of what makes humans unique - including our taste in beauty - is our hunger for prestige.”
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Dominance is grounded in fear of who can harm you, while prestige is grounded in attraction to who can help you. (opens korrents.com)
“Dominance is based on fear (who can hurt me?), whereas prestige is based on attraction (who can help me?).”
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No leader governs through dominance alone; effective leadership also relies on incentives, not just coercion. (opens korrents.com)
“But no man rules by dominance alone; every leader finds use for the carrot as well as the stick.”
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Much of what makes humans distinctive, including their sense of beauty, comes from a drive for prestige. (opens korrents.com)
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49 recommendations on rcmnd (opens rcmnd.app)
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The Machinery of Life (opens rcmnd.app)
“David Goodsell, The Machinery of Life. Spectacular book for developing intuition of what goes on inside a cell. The text is OK but the illustrations are absolutely stunning and make the book worthy of a strong…”
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The Dictator's Handbook (opens rcmnd.app)
“The Dictator's Handbook. Very good, highly recommended.”
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Other Minds: The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life (opens rcmnd.app)
“Other Minds: The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life. One of the most disappointing books I've read in a long time.”
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The Machinery of Life (opens rcmnd.app)